News: The £170,000 Grand Seiko SBGD207 Masterpiece
A while back, we reviewed the Grand Seiko SBGD001. The watch boasted a platinum case and featured the super-accurate 8-day Spring Drive Calibre 9R01, giving it a hefty price tag of £50,000—a price some weren’t convinced it warranted. So, if you think that watch divided opinions regarding its worth, let me introduce you to the Grand Seiko SBGD207 Masterpiece—a watch that has the same case and movement as the SBGD001 but costs a whopping £170,000.
Why does it cost so much? Well, mostly it’s because of the dial. Sat upon an 18k white gold base, the SBGD207 has a dial made up of three layers. The first is a green silver mother-of-pearl inner that seemingly transitions in colour with the light—just like the waters it is meant to represent: the Mishaka Pond located in Yatsugatake Chushin Quasi-National Park, Japan.
Moving further out, we get to the middle layer: the chapter ring. What makes this chapter ring different from those on other watches is the abundance of precious stones. 48 baguette-cut diamonds and 12 baguette-cut garnets—marking each hour and tying this layer to the mother-of-pearl one before it.
Finally, we get the outer layer: the rehaut. This layer of the dial—like the chapter ring—also features precious stones. Each stone—still diamonds and garnets, by the way—acts as an elaborate end piece for the gem on the previous layer. A design feature that shows off that famous Grand Seiko “no half measures” mentality.
Moving away from the dial, we see the 43mm platinum case, the jewel-encrusted crown and an accompanying green crocodile strap. But wait, there is more. Flipping over reveals the hybrid beating heart of the SBGD207, the Spring Drive Calibre 9R01.
Unfortunately, the view of the Calibre 9R01 is minimal thanks to a dominating bridge. But that doesn’t mean the transparent case back is wasted. You can see jewels, blued screws, and the power-reserve indicator built right into the movement. Speaking of the power-reserve, the Calibre 9R01 can last for 192 hours—that’s 8 days for those without a calculator to hand.
While not being the most complicated movement out there—being time only with a power reserve—the Calibre 9R01 is arguably one of the most accurate—the movement is guaranteed to be accurate within plus or minus 10 seconds a month. Not a day, a month.
Whether or not you think the SBGD207 Masterpiece is worth its price tag, there is no denying that it’s an incredible watch. 121 precious stones, a 95% pure platinum case and an incredible movement—that’s what £170,000 buys you with Grand Seiko.
Looking for a Grand Seiko watch? Click here to shop now
